Many, if not most, people in the workforce have had a gay colleague. Sometimes it was known and sometimes it wasn't. Sexual orientation didn't matter as long as he or she got the job done.

Michael Sam should be no different, but in the highly macho world of professional football there are no guarantees.

Sam "came out" publicly last weekend. He could become the first openly gay NFL player if he makes a team in the fall.

"I just want to go to the team who drafts me," Sam said during the interview, "because that team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work hard. That's the team I want to go to."

Sam's college teammates knew about his sexual orientation and accepted him, but professional football players are not always so open-minded. Just take a look at the fallout from the bullying accusations that surrounded the Miami Dolphins last year for evidence.

It took courage for Sam to make the announcement. There have undoubtedly been gay players in the NFL, but they've been silent about it - with good reason.

Punter Chris Kluwe, who is heterosexual, says he was released by the Minnesota Vikings because of his outspoken support of gay marriage rights. He also accuses a Vikings assistant coach of making anti-gay comments.

Kerry Rhodes, a defensive back who was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in 2012, did not play last season after rumors surfaced that he was gay. Given the paucity of good defensive backs in the league, you have to wonder why no team gave Rhodes a call.

"As a professional football player, whether you know it or not, you have played either with or against a gay player," Kluwe told HuffPost Live host Marc Lamont Hill in June. "I guarantee that you have."

Sam's prospects are far from certain. At 6-foot-1, 260 pounds, he's considered too small to play his college position of defensive end in the pros. He could be an outside linebacker, but position changes don't always work. He is considered to be a third- or fourth-round prospect for the NFL draft in May.

He has put his future employer - and the NFL - under a microscope. If he falls in the draft, or doesn't get drafted at all, there will be accusations of homophobia.

If he gets drafted and eventually released, there will be whispers that it was because of his sexual orientation. If he makes the team, will it be for public relations purposes or performance? How he plays on Sundays will be the determining factor.

This shouldn't be a story. What people do behind closed doors is their business. Some will root for Sam to make it because of his sexual orientation. Others will be appalled if he does.

Page 2 of 2 - The next three months should be enlightening as Sam's future is debated and determined.

In an industry where height, weight and 40-yard-dash times are paramount, integrity is often overlooked. Sam showed he has the latter.